I am glad to see that they are working on this problem. Just wish they would have thought about it when their own citizen's were getting sick from all the pollution.

Right, glad they are working on it... but let's be realistic, will it really make a difference in that little of time? I will say though that acceptance is the first step...

Even allowing for the fact it's only a few months away now, what happens if (or more likely when) their pollution standards don't meet the fourth requirement they haven't achieved yet? To say everything will be done to ensure there's clean air isn't the same as saying there WILL be clean air. It was part of the agreement that allowed them to host the Olympics that it would be. No one's going to cancel the Olympics, are they? They shouldn't have been allowed to bid in the first place if that was the case imho.

Well...China is indeed in a difficult situation right now...it is trying but yes..going to be very difficult..and as serenity said..no one is going to cancel olympics..even if they cannot meet the required standards....

seeing from theenvironmental point..atleast the olympics has come as a good excuse for the chinese government to open its eyes and see the disastrous pollution level....

It will take more than a few frantic months of 'tidying up' to sort out their pollution problem. Lets hope that they continue after the Olympics.

Must be a massive job at the moment for the chinese government what with all the earthquake recovery work going on as well.

I agree, it would be great to see the clean up continued even after the Olympics.

Just the other week came a report that a worldwide shortage of Vitamin C is on the cards due to China cutting down on production at their manufacturing plants to meet the standards. They produce 80% of the ascorbic acid (Vit C) used worldwide. You can't win.

Well, now that the Olympics are behind us, how did China do in reducing pollution in Beijing? I never heard of anyone with knowledge of the city say if it was better or not. I did hear, however, that other cities and even the farmlands around it, that the situation was as bad as ever.

THey took some pretty drastic measures to improve air quality in the short term, but i don't think there has been any effort to make a permanent change.